Automatic ball throwing machine



Sept 10, 1968 B. v. RHODES AUTOMATIC BALL THROWING MACHINE Filed Oct.19, 1965 mom i m I lx T 3J maxx INVENTOR.

uboooao United States Patent O 3,400,703 AUTOMATIC BALL THROWING MACHINEBarry V. Rhodes, 22358 Baltar St., Canoga Park, Calif. 91304 Filed Oct.19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,763 9 Claims. (Cl. 124-11) This invention relatesto ball throwing machines and more particularly to a unique fullyautomatic pneumatically-operated ball throwing machine for use byathletes and Sportsmen while practicing hitting and catching projectedballs. n

Sportsmen and athletes have need to practice 1n hltting and catchingthrown balls. To meet thisneed various devices have been devised forthrowing a ball but these are subject to certain disadvantages andshortcomings sought to be obviated by the present invention. The presentmachine is fully automatic in operation and responsive to rise and fallof the pressure of pressurized gas relative to a predetermined value tooperate jetting means discharging into the breech end of a ballprojecting barrel. As soon as one ball is projected the gas pressurefalls whereupon the valve closes until such time as the pressure risesand recycles the ring operation. The device can also be operatedmanually at any desired rate by manually controlling a switch or the airvalve to the ball throwing barrel. Desirably the machine is supported onadjustable wheels which are useful in transporting the machine to adesired location as well as for supporting the barrel at differentelevations. The machine includes its own power-driven compressor and airstorage tank. A substantial supply of balls is fed into the breech ofthe barrel automatically and individually as a previous ball is ejectedfrom the machine. A feature of the machine includes the use ofpressurized air while projecting one ball to agitate others present inthe hopper thereby assuring proper and free feeding of the balls to thebreech.

Accordingly it is a primary object of the present invention to provide asimple, rugged, self-contained ball throwing machine arranged to beoperated either automatically or semi-automatically.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a self-containedball throwing machine operable from a supply of pressurized air andreadily adjustable to project individual balls at any selected velocity.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wheeled machinehaving its own gas compressor and provided with an automatic ballthrowing barrel energized by pressurized gas provided by the compressor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pneumaticallyoperated ball throwing machine utilizing pressurized air to project theball and simultaneously to agitate the feed of the next ball intothebreech of the barrel.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View partly in section showing apreferred embodiment of the present invention with the parts positionedto eject a ball present in the barrel; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the machine.

Referring initially more particularly to FIGURE l, there is shown a ballthrowing machine designated generally 10. This machine has a pair ofinverted U-shaped members 11, 12 formed of any suitable structuralstock, as tubing. These members are held in rigidly upright positions bycross members including se-rpentine tubular ball CTI Patented Sept. 10,1968 hopper 13, a pressurized gas storage tank 14 welded or otherwisesecured to the frame members, and a platform 16. The latter serves tosupport an engine 18 driving a compressor 19 having an outlet openinginto storage tank 14 through a conduit 20.

Main frame 11, 12 is preferably supported by front and rear carriages22, 23. Each carriage includes a pair of upright tubes 24 whichtelescope into the downturned ends 25 of the main frame members. Thesetelescoping tubes are provided with openings 26 to receive a lock pin 27effective to hold the carriages and main frame in any desired adjustedposition.

One of the principal components of the machine is the ball throwingbarrel 30 having an open discharge end and a breech chamber 31 at itsinner end. The upper portion 0f the breech is connected through a shortvertical tube 33 with the outlet end of a serpentine tubular ball hopper13. It will be understood that this hopper may be formed of a closewound coil spring, hose, or the like, provided proper safeguards aretaken to support the tube against sagging and collapse in a mannerlikely to cause jamming of the balls. The internal diameter of both thegun barrel and the hopper tubing is important, it being pointed out thatthe internal diameter of the gun barrel is preferably somewhat smallerthan for the hopper tubing and so sized as not to offer resistance tothe rapid passage of the ball therealong during the tiring operation.The hopper tubing is preferably suticiently large for the balls to rollfreely therealong from end to end of the tubing.

Pressurized gas storage tank 14 is connected to the breech end of barrel30 by a conduit 36 opening into the upstream end of a fast actionpressure differential type ow control valve 37 readily available in theopen market. The discharge side of this valve opens through the gasjetting conduit 38 axially into the breech end of barrel 30. The detailsof valve 37 are not shown since these are well known to those skilled inthe valve art. This valve is preferably controlled by an electricsolenoid 40. Normally valve 37 is closed and solenoid 40 is deenergized.When the solenoid is energized the pressure differential across thevalve proper is upset causing the valve to open fully with snap lactionthereby allowing a full ilow of pressurized gas to pass axially into thebreech end of the gun directly behind ball 42. As here shown, solenoid40 is controlled by a pressure responsive switch 43 of any suitableconstruction connected to duct 44 on the high pressure side of valve 37.The switch is normally open and it is readily adjustable to close at anyselected pressure by rotating control knob 45 to the proper position.Switch 43 is connected in circuit with the solenoid and a suitablesource of electrical energy by wires 48, 49.

In the operation of the ball throwing machine just described, let it beassumed that it is desired to throw tennis balls to a player wishing topractice the return of such balls. The machine is adjusted to presentthe barrel at a suitable throwing angle and hopper 13 is filled with asupply of tennis balls with the lowermost one positioned in breech 31and loosely held there by a slight bump or obstruction 50. This bumpassures that the ball to be thrown will remain positioned properlyimmediately adjacent the outlet of jetting means 38 and in position tohold the overlying ball 42 in position to drop into the barrel as soonas the first ball is being ejected from the barrel. The main switch, notshown, to the power supply is closed and motor compressor 1-8, 19 isplaced in operation. As soon as the pressure within the storage chamberand beneath the pressure responsive switch 43 reaches a predeterminedvalue, switch 43 closes energizing solenoid 40 and instantly fullyopening valve 37. Pressurized air then jets through jet 38 into thebarrel breech causing the ball to pass over the obstruction 50 and to beejected from the barrel at the desired velocity. The air pressure withinpassage 36 falls as the air expands and as the ball leaves the gunbarrel. This permits switch 43 to open and deenergizes valve 40permitting valve 37 to close sharply and quickly.

While valve 37 is open, pressurized air admitted to the barrel of thegun is als-o effective to agitate the balls in the hopper and leaves thelower one partially suspended in air and free to drop quickly into thebarrel breech as the pressure collapses following closure of valve 37.Accordingly the next ball 42 is properly positioned in the breech as thevalve closes and is in instant readiness to be projected as soon as theair pressure rises. With a compressor of adequate capacity the systemcycles very rapidly and as fast as one ball every 5 to 10 seconds.

The machine continues to cycle in the manner described and to agitatethe balls in the hopper until the supply has been exhausted.

If it is desired to eject the balls under -manual control, this isaccomplished by providing a manual switch between the power supply andsolenoid 40 so that this solenoid can be energized momentarily at adesired frequency. It will also be appreciated that the velocity anddistance to which the balls are projected is readily varied by adjustingscrew 45 to vary the pressure of the gas supplied to jet 38, the higherpressure being effective to project the balls further and at highervelocity.

While the particular automatic ball throwing machine for use bySportsmen herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable ofattaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated,it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations areintended to the details of construction or design herein shown otherthan as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ball throwing machine for use by tennis, soft ball and the likeplayers, said machine having a main frame, a ball throwing barrelmounted on said frame having a discharge end and a breech end, ballhopper means for storing and feeding a plurality of balls individuallyinto the breech end of said barrel, means for supply pressurized air tosaid breech end including pressure responsive means operable in responseto a predetermined air pressure t-o jet air into said breech endrearward of a ball therein to propel the same along said barrel and outof the discharge end thereof at a desired velocity, said pressureresponsive means including pressure sensitive switch means connected incircuit with a normally closed snap-action solenoid valve openingquickly when energized by said switch means as the air supply reachessaid predetermined air pressure value, and said pressure responsivemeans being thereafter operable in response to lowering of the airpressure to close off all air ow into said barrel until the supplypressure again rises to said predetermined pressure.

2. A ball throwing machine as dened in claim 1 characterized in theprovision of adjustable wheels supporting said main frame and useful inmoving said machine from place to place and for supporting said barrelat a desired inclination to the horizontal when in use to throw balls.

3. A ball throwing machine as dened in claim 3 char- 4 l acterized inthat said means for supplying pressurized air includes power driven aircompressor means and an air storage tank mounted on said main frame andhaving means for jetting pressurized air from said tank axially throughthe breech end of said barrel.

4. A ball throwing machine as defined in claim 3 characterized in thatthe interior of the barrel breech includes means positioned to hold thenext ball in position to be propelled through the barrel in a desiredstarting position forward of said air jetting rneans.

5. A ball thr-owing machine as dened in claim 4 characterized in thatthe internal diameter of said barrel is only slightly greater than thatof the ball being propelled therethrough so as to oder only negligibleresistance to the passage of the ball therealong while preventing theescape of any material quantity of pressurized air.

6. A ball throwing machine as defined in claim 1 characterized in thatsaid machine functions automatically to propel balls from said barrel inresponse to the rise of air pressure to said predetermined value and theentry of the next ball into the breech end of the barrel while the airflow thereinto is momentarily closed off.

7. An automatic ball throwing machine for use by Sportsmen inpracticing, hitting and catching propelled balls, said machine having aball propelling barrel provided at its breech end with means for jettingpressurized air thereinto behind a ball to be propelled, pressurized airsupply means connected to said jetting means and including a fast-actiontwo-positioned solenoid-controlled valve, and a pressure sensitiveswitch means connected in circuit with said solenoid-contr-olled valveto open said valve abruptly when the air pressure rises to apredetermined valve and to abruptly close said valve as the pressurefalls during the projection of a ball through said barrel.

8. A ball throwing machine as defined in claim 7 characterized in theprovision of means for feeding a single ball into said barrel breechduring the interval said valve is closed and while the air pressure isrising to said predetermined pressure.

9. A ball throwing machine as defined in claim 8 characterized in thatsaid ball feeding means comprises a tubular hopper closely embracing arow of balls, said tubular hopper being in communication with saidbarrel breech whereby the pressurized air jetting thereinto to project aball liows in part into said hopper and agitates the balls therein tomaintain the same in a free condition in instant readiness to advance asthe next ball passes into the barrel breech.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,304,320 12/ 1942 Tratsch 124-323,018,769 1/1962 Parsoneault 124-11 3,128,752 4/1964 Andersen 124-163,272,194 9/1966 Egbert 124-30 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,377,593 9/1964 France.1,185,096 1/1965 Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner'.

1. A BALL THROWING MACHINE FOR USE BY TENNIS, SOFT BALL AND THE LIKEPLAYERS, SAID MACHINE HAVING A MAIN FRAME, A BALL THROWING BARRELMOUNTED ON SAID FRAME HAVING A DISCHARGE END AND A BREECH END, BALLHOPPER MEANS FOR STORING AND FEEDING A PLURALITY OF BALLS INDIVIDUALLYINTO THE BREECH END OF SAID BARREL, MEANS FOR SUPPLY PRESSURIZED AIR TOSAID BREECH END INCLUDING PRESSURE RESPONSIVE MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSETO A PREDETERMINED AIR PRESSURE TO JET AIR INTO SAID BREECH END REARWARDOF A BALL THEREIN TO PROPEL THE SAME ALONG SAID BARREL AND OUT OF THEDISCHARGE END THEREOF AT A DESIRED VELOCITY, SAID PRESSURE RESPONSIVEMEANS INCLUDING PRESSURE SENSITIVE SWITCH MEANS CONNECTED IN CIRCUITWITH A NORMALLY CLOSED SNAP-ACTION SOLENOID